Natural Ice House. 177 
in the peseh of Northford, and township of Branford. The 
ice here also, (as we are assured) endures, the year round. 
This place we have not visited, but we are Sesinined that it is 
‘at the bottom, or on the declivity of a trap ridge. Several 
years ago we had the ice of this place, brought to uS, into 
New-Haven, in the hottest soathes of mid-summer. Like 
that of Meriden it is very solid, but like that also it is soiled 
‘with leaves and dirt, and sltbough it is unfit to be putinto . 
liquids, which are to. be swallowed, it is as good as any ice 
or mere cooling. 
These instances naturally induce the impression that other 
natural ice houses may exist in various parts of the trap re- 
gion of Connecticut, and of Massachusetts, and very possi- — 
bly in other districts, abounding with precipitous, rocky and 
woody defiles, although the geological formation may not 
be the same. We should be obliged by any information 
respecting similar facts existing elsewhere. 
It is perhaps worthy of being mentioned in this connex- 
ion that an artificial ice house within the knwoledge of the 
writer is situated on the top of a ridge of trap in Connecti- 
e excavation was made, simply by removing the 
loose pieces of trap rock which are here piled in enor- 
mous quantities, but noe: of fragments of wee small 
size. These loose » » with the air in the 
cavities are better insane sens of heat than es ie 
which usually surrounds ice houses, for the ice keeps re- 
markably well in this elevated ice-house. Perhaps ches gill 
aid us also in explaining the phenomena of the senisiil 
ice houses that have been mentioned. 
It may not be useless, before dismissing this article, to 
mention, that the roof of an ice house should be penied 
z and nomshacrbings and the subtance non-conduc- 
ting, in relation to heat ; we can speak from experience of 
the efficacy of this arrangement. 
thatched roof as is well known will answer without any wood, bu- 
is ste sadaring apd more exposed to fire. 
Vor. AV ves ‘No. 1. - 23 
